The information has been obtained from printed
timetables and other local sources (like taking the bus) and is
given in good faith.
Everything is correct to the best of my knowledge as of 12th December 2014

Links to timetables for buses and trains between Portimão and
the rest of the Algarve

GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT PORTIMÃO CITY TRANSPORT - PLEASE READ!

Portimão is linked with the rest of the Algarve by the
inter-urban and express bus routes listed above. The railway
station is just to the north of the city centre, with trains along
the Algarve route and connections with Lisbon via Tunes.
Long-distance buses (coaches to UK readers) run to Lisbon and more distant parts
including Seville.

Below - Alameda square in Portimão

THE VAI E VEM CITY BUS NETWORK OF PORTIMÃO

The city of Portimão and its suburbs are served by a network of
mini-bus routes under the banner ‘Vai e Vem’. Services start at
0700 and finish between 1930 and 2000hrs. On December 24th last buses are at around 1900hrs. In summer there are later buses between Portimão and Praia da Rocha.

Most routes no longer
operate at weekends and public holidays.
The mini-buses used for most journeys are grossly inadequate at
busy periods (eg school start and finish times) so be prepared for
overcrowding and even for a full-up bus sailing past your stop.

These buses do not go across the river to Ferragudo etc!
There are maps and timetables at the city centre bus
stops, but many other stops have no information at all.

The links below are to the official timetables. Timetables are
annotated in Portuguese and English. The official website itself,
only in Portuguese, is here.

SUMMARY OF ROUTES AND LINKS TO TIMETABLES AND MAPS

All the links below are to the official maps and timetables
on the Portimão council website and will open in a new window.
Most routes serve the Largo do Dique in the City
Centre. The Alameda is the large square in the older part of
the city about 5 minutes walk from Largo do Dique. Some routes
have been changed so that they start/end at Rua das Hortas rather
than the Almeda or Largo do Dique. Rua das Hortas is near the
municipal market and quite a walk (about 750 metres) from the
Largo do Dique.

Inbound buses that stop at the Centro de Saúde (Health Centre)
stop at the city market outbound. The Health Centre is a short
walk from the market. See the map.

In Praia da Rocha, inbound buses stop at the Hotel Jupiter, Hotel
Oriental and the Fortaleza. They return via a parallel street
without stopping. See the map.

The route between Portimão city centre and Praia da Rocha has
late evening service in July and August. This is now the only
route operating after about 2000hrs.

CRUISE LINER SHUTTLE
- the port of Portimão operates shuttle buses as required between the
cruise dock and the city centre at Largo do Dique. The distance is about
1 mile / 1.6km and is easily walkable.

The main routes of interest to visitors will be these - click on
route number to go to official route map and timetable.

Fares on Vai e Vem buses

There is a flat fare on Vai e Vem buses. Cash fare is €1,50 for a
single journey. The ticket is valid for one hour and can be used
to transfer to another bus to complete your journey. A one day
ticket (unlimited journeys) is 3,50 Euros; buy that from the
driver.

Pre-paid single journey tickets are 80 cents. 10 or 20 journeys
can be loaded onto a rechargeable card, costing 3 Euros, which you
can buy at the Largo do Dique bus office and other places around
town, including in Alvor: Papelaria El Rei, Rua Marquês de Pombal,
nº 3. This pre-pay system will save you money if you intend to use
the buses more than about 6 times during your stay.

Children under 4 years old travel free. Monthly passes are also
available at €24.00 and you need a photo. Enquire at the bus
office. Senior citizens and those of reduced mobility who are residents can get half
price passes but you will need to provide proofs. Tourists are not ellgible for these discounts.

PORTIMÃO ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Portimão does not have a bus station. City centre 'terminal' bus
stops are near the Largo de Dique, which is not far from the old
bridge over the river and also the main shopping area.

ALL INTERURBAN
BUSES LEAVE FROM THE AVENIDA GUANARÉ NEAR THE REPSOL GARAGE.
MOST VAI E VEM LOCAL BUSES USE THE STOPS AT LARGO DO DIQUE. LONG
DISTANCE AND INTERNATIONAL SERVICES STOP AT THE PARKING AREA
ALONGSIDE THE AVENIDA GUANARÉ. CLICK THE MAP BELOW FOR LARGER SIZE.

NB - bus stops are not lettered as per map - this is just for
convenient indexing!

Check which stop your bus leaves from. Do
not leave it to the last minute! (Personal experience was not a
good one!). The bus stops are fairly clearly labelled as to
the destinations served. There is a bus ticket and enquiry office
but no waiting area. There is small shop and café attached to the Repsol
Garage (petrol station). Inbound local buses from Lagoa and Ferragudo
don't turn immediately towards the Largo do Dique. They go along
the Rua Infante de Henrique as shown, before embarking on a tour
around the city. If
it's the shops you want, get off at the first stop after crossing
the bridge.

Portimão railway station is a few minutes walk to the north of the
city centre. Routes 31 and 32 stop there.

SHOPPING CENTRES

Portimão has several retail parks and shopping centres around the
edges of the city. Most of the buses mentioned below DO NOT run at weekends.

Aqua Shopping is served by
routes 31, 32 and 34. The Cardosas stop on other routes is within 3
minutes walk. It is 6 or 7 minutes walk from the railway station, 12 - 15 minutes from the main bus stops above.

Portimão Retail
Centre and the nearby Vila Marché shopping centre is served by routes 31,32, 34 and 36 also the
inter-urban bus from Lagos via Mexilhoeira Grande.